having owned a 2k and a 2kxl (current owner) and spent good time on a 4000, I would have to say that if u make hip-hop, R&B or any other kind of downtempo music (jazz, swing, blues, etc.) then the 4000 is not necessary and u will find that u dont use 1/2 the new stuff.
the main issue I have is the os is waaay buggy, not that i cant burn on it or whatnot they can add that, but random crashing and other bugs like "i can see the menu but not access it" stuff is a pain. think about what u do and how u plan to expand your rig, dont just run out and cop the mpc 4000 cuz its new and looks cool and has lotsa features, (yamaha high end samplers come to mind) THE most important thing is HOW DOES IT SOUND, and the sound of the mpc 4000 doesnt compare to the 2000xl and most def no comparison to a 300 or a 60II. The ONLY reason I didnt buy a mpc 3000 is that they're all used and I wanted a warranty and support for my product.
I dont care what the spec sheets say, go and listen, load up the same sound in a mpc 4000 and a 2000 then play the loops and listen, the sound out of the 4000 is flat and thin, the 2000 has punch. It seems like akai was focused on making the sampler more like a pc so that its users wouldnt rely on the pc and pc software to use with the mpc, like the 2000/60/3000 users do. IE akai wanted peeps to not use recycle and soundforge and the plethora of good pc editor programs with the mpc, they just want u to use the mpc, whY? because they are a companyt NOT YOUR BUDDY THEY WANT YOUR MONEY, NOTHING ELSE. think, hmm, is the mpc 4000's features that are available in recycle or wavelab better then on the pc? NO. they are just integrated so that u will not use the pc and not give $$$$ to competitors like steinberg and emagic, plain and simple. for the last 3-5 years the hardware sampler/sequencer makers have been in a battle to keep their profits up with the advent of super dope mad advanced software. they are in competition with them so why not cut them out by simply having you not use the pc at all, and have u use only their gear, surprise! the mpc 4000 will work with the pc! now they are what u use on the pc, not their competitors, hahahahah
MICROSOFT STYLE no doubt, but dont believe the hype, go and listen to it for yourself.
the mpc 4000 is not a step up in productivity/creativity it is a step up in akai's sampler market share.
PS- look at it like this, say u make rap music, or whatever u call it, and ima use a car analogy, U wanna go from point a to point b asap. now the course is a dirt track, will u drive a ferrari f50 or will u take a dirt buggy? well obviously the dirt buggy will outperform the f50 on that track and win the race, the f50 costs 10 times as much and has a top speed thats 50 mph higher, but it dont get the right job done, this is the mpc 4000 if u make rap/hip-hop music. if u make that thumpata-thumpata rave music, i cant speak on that, but if u make rap the mpc 2000, shoot if u 4000 heads wanna sell ur mpc 2000/3000 Ill cop it, i could use two, that would be dope.[/color]
"Hey you can't operate a boat under the influence of alcohol"
"Sound like a wager to me!"
? AND MOST TO THOUSE WHO HAVE OWNED THE 2000XL...